Gujarat gas deal a bigger scam than 2G: Kejriwal

Mangalore Today/ CNN/IBN

New Delhi, Dec 4: Aam Aadmi Party convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday took on Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi over the Tehelka report alleging irregularities in the sale of stake worth Rs 20,000 crore in Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation’s (GSPC) gas exploration project in the Krishna Godavari Basin (KG), which the report alleged, was sold to a foreign company for virtually nothing.

"In August 2002, two companies bid with government for the Krishna-Godavari Basin and gas well worth Rs 20,000 crore was given to two companies for free. What was the selection process for these two companies?" asked Kejriwal.

 

"There was no bidding. Modi said that GeoGlobal has been engaged for technical assistance. But GeoGlobal and Jubilant Empro Private Limited were given two wells in the KG Basin for free," Kejriwal added. "Jean Paul Roy is the owner of GeoGlobal. We demand an investigation on him. This scam is bigger than the 2G scam," he said.

Kejriwal alleged that the BJP and the Congress-led UPA were both involved in the scam. "Not only Narendra Modi, but the UPA too allotted 10 per cent gas wells to GeoGlobal. Bikaner gas wells were also given to GeoGlobal. Modi had written to Central government in 2010 asking for the cancellation of contract with GeoGlobal. The letter is lying with the Centre for the last two years."

"Why didn’t the Congress raise the issue for the last nine years?" Kejriwal asked.

Kejriwal also questioned Modi’s alleged links with the Adani Group, asking why the conglomerate was given acres of land at Rs 1 per square metre when the prevailing market rate was Rs 300 per square metre.

"The Modi government gave 14,306 acres of land to Adani at the rate of Rs 1 per square metre, where as market rate was Rs 300 per square metre. But when the IAF asked Gujarat for land, they were told that they would have to pay Rs 88 per square metre. The PM had to intervene to ensure allotment of land to IAF," Kejriwal alleged.

Kejriwal continued, "The Gujarat government bought electricity from Adani at the rate of Rs 5.50 in 2007 even though the state-owned Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation (GMDC) had offered to provide electricity at Rs 2.25 in short term merchandise. This offer was ignored by the Modi government," Kejriwal added, alleging that the GMDC chairman was later transferred at the behest of Adani Group, which had started exploiting the Gujarat government for coal blocks.

"Adani started blackmailing the Gujarat government over coal mines. The GMDC assured Adani that they will be provided coal and the state government then entered into an agreement with Adani to provide electricity, that too at Rs 5.50 per unit. The matter was raised in the Assembly last year," said Kejriwal.